Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Hanson wrapped up their Musical Ride Tour with a bang on Saturday at Fort Lauderdale’s Culture Room. Fans waited patiently in the rain for hours before doors opened at 7 p.m. The venue was so packed, it was nearly impossible to walk through the room. Security had to keep fans off of the balcony railings and stairways to ensure the safety of the audience.

Fans sang along to every song and danced the night away with the band. Hanson played most of the songs from their 2010 album Shout it Out, which has more of a pop-soul vibe than earlier records. During “Thinking ‘Bout Something” and “Give a Little” the whole audience was jumping around and having a good time. Other songs they played off their 2010 album included “Kiss Me When You Come Home,” “Use Me Up,” “Musical Ride” and “Me Myself and I.”

Hanson also played their hit singles from earlier albums, This Time Around (2000) and Underneath(2004). They performed pop-rock songs “This Time Around” and “Penny and Me.”

Hanson kept up the crowd’s energy the whole night, but there was nothing like when they started playing the song they became famous for. Although it has been 15 years since the song was released, fans didn’t forget a single lyric to “MMMBop.” The fans were singing at the top of their lungs and almost overwhelmed the band’s own vocals.

During “If Only” they began playing Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.” The entire crowd was cheering and singing with the band. Hanson left the stage, but after their fans chanted their name for a minute or so, they hit the stage for a couple more songs. They ended the night with “Rock and Roll Razorblade.”

The audience was diverse and consisted of fans young and old. Although most of the audience was there to see Hanson perform, a good amount of fans were at the show to see Charlie Mars.

Mars started off the show with his sweet pop-rock song, “I Do.” From the first song of his set, fans were singing along to his relaxing songs. He performed his most popular songs from Like a Bird, Like a Plane (2009), “Like a Bird, Like a Plane,” and “Meet Me By The Backdoor.” Mars performed solo on stage throughout the entire set. The audience was easily able to enjoy his smooth vocals and calming acoustic sound.

Ultimately, rain couldn’t keep fans away from seeing Hanson perform Saturday night. Both Hanson and their fans brought more to the show than expected. The band performed a terrific set and fans were right there with the guys, singing every lyric to every song. Hanson didn’t reveal what is up next on their agenda. But, who knows? Maybe another album will be in the works soon.